The Last of Us Movie: Should it Happen?

Hit PlayStation 3 videogame The Last of Us is set to be adapted for the big screen, and as ever gamers have reacted angrily to the news.

As well they should.

We know that Hollywood will adapt anything and everything that even shows the potential of becoming popular – they've adapted board games, toys and Super Mario Bros after all – so the news isn't surprising at all, it's just disappointing.

The Last of Us was a monumental hit with gamers and critics and was heralded a classic upon its arrival last summer.

One of the reasons why was that on top of the well-crafted gameplay was excellent acting and superb writing.

Charlie Brooker likened the game to a HBO TV box set on Channel 4's How Videogames Changed The World last year, and it was an apt comparison, but still one made to speak to those who don't know gaming, or who look down on the medium.

What made The Last of Us so special was how totally assured of itself and proud to be a videogame it was.

Naughty Dog crafted a story that could never be told in the same way in another medium. It wasn't the first to do this, but it was one of the best.

Ashley Johnson voiced Ellie in The Last of UsSony

Videogames used to emulate the blistering pace and bang-per-buck of Hollywood blockbusters, but now the reverse is true as Hollywood pumps its heaviest hitters with dazzling special effects.

What The Last of Us and games like Red Dead Redemption, Portal and Journey have proven is what film already proved in the decades ago – each medium is perfectly capable of telling wonderful stories in their own way, without bleeding into or copying each other.

The Last of Us did have cinematic influences, just as it drew on books and television series. Its writer Neil Druckmann crafted a unique story this way, but tailored it to its gaming format. It was properly paced and its gameplay supported the story being told and the world it was told in.

There's nothing to be gained from a big screen adaptation, but there is hope.

Druckmann is on board to write the film's screenplay – so when it comes to handling an already beloved property it couldn't be in better hands. It could also be that he's going to pen a script set in the same world but which tells a different story with different characters.

That could work, and be great, but will Hollywood – and in particular Screen Gems, who brought the questionable (to say the least) Resident Evil movies to cinemas – be able to take a risk on the property?

Personally I'm happy for the story of Ellie and Joel be left alone, and the characters too. If there were to be a videogame sequel (and even that's something many don't necessarily want) I would want it to be a totally separate tale that expands its post-apocalyptic world but which carries the spirit of the first game.

If it were to be left untouched then that would be fine too, because The Last of Us was important for gaming and its lessons would last longer if it were a one off. That's why the biggest reason for not making a Last of Us film, is The Last of Us itself.